It Could Happen Again
Last Tuesday, we heard a wide variety of stories from our Life Writers at our open mic night.
We laughed at Judy’s brothers’ antics as kids to be the first to see what Santa brought them on Christmas morning.
We held our breath as Dave read the story of being diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
John told us about his remarkable friend Deb, her losing battle with cancer, and how she remains close by with some of her ashes spread around a palm tree in his front yard.
Linda proved what a great cook and seamstress she was after she shared her 4-H experiences and the ribbons she won at the fair.
Lorna read the sweetest story about how her parents met and fell in love at first sight.
Julie focused on her dad’s hands to recount the story of an amazing man and what he accomplished with those digits.
Then, Etya Krichmar quieted the Zoom room as she read her story, “A World of Darkness,” about our unsettled world.
Etya left the Soviet Union in 1977 and made her home in the United States, and for her new life here, she is eternally grateful. Yet, the antisemitism she sought to escape followed her here.
“In a World of Darkness,” she writes, “…I find it appalling to stare into the ugly face of hatred again, of all the places in the world, my beloved America. Seeing the demonstrations against the Jews on Ivy League campuses upsets and worries me. What happened to the morals of our all-inclusive, embracing diversity society? Have we lost our way?”
After the silence that followed Etya’s last line, “Remember, the Holocaust happened, and it could happen again,” her fellow Life Writers suggested she seek publication for this piece. Dave Godin recommended the Orlando Sentinel.
Etya responded to the nudge, and her story appears in today’s edition of the Sentinel. If you are a subscriber, you can read Etya’s poignant piece at https://www.orlandosentinel.com/author/etya-vaserman-krichmar/. For those who don’t subscribe, here is Etya’s amazing story.
We are so proud of you, Etya. You are an excellent writer with such a profound story to tell, and we’re so grateful you shared this one with us.
If you’d like to participate in the next Life Writers open mic night, join our group at https://lifewriters.us/. We’d love to hear your stories.
Please note: All grammatical and typographical errors have been put in this article for
your enjoyment in finding them.
Etya -Your story is from the heart and needed to get broadcast. I am not a Roma, not a Jewish woman, not black either. In fact it doesn’t really matter what or who I am, because what matters is that I have compassion and love for all that is wholesome and precious. Life. Anybody’s life. In my travels I have seen Sachsenhausen and Dachau. I needed to go there. I needed to see what nobody should have ever seen and experienced. I needed to understand as profoundly as I could. I have had many talks with my Jewish friends about… Read more »
Bravo! Etya. I’ve heard it said, “evil happens when good people stay quiet.” And that’s not you, Etya. You chose not to stay quiet about your own personal history of Jewish persecution repeating itself right before your eyes. Shining the light on truth from your first hand experience can not be denied. Thank you for your courageous. And thank you for sharing your legacy in the making with your Life Writers Buddies. I am so glad to have shared this moment in history with you. May your article in the Orlando Sentinel be the launching pad for your books. Much… Read more »
Etya. I was deeply moved by your story. Truth is in every word. I lived in a Jewish community in Pittsburgh called Squirrel Hill. One of their centers was attacked a couple years ago and 11 people died. I pray for them and their safety during this tumultuous time. I am so glad your story got published. Everyone should heed your words.
Etya,
I’d say: When womens rights decline, children die,worlds collapse.
I do not understand nor fear hatred as I witness the waves of destruction smash as forceful tsunamies, the fragile ecosystem of life’ s fundamentals. I sincerely beleive that all ideologies of restriction and destruction will eventually,(soon), implode.
Let’s all stand strong in adversity. Chant on life’s side.
Love
Thierry
I grew up in Skokie, IL, which was a haven for post WWII Jewish people who came to the US. At least half of my schoolmates and most of my friends were Jewish. I was not. My first marriage was to a Jewish man who’s Aunt Naomi was a survivor of the camps, tattoo and all. I attended many a bar and bas mitzvah during school and Passover dinners with family after my marriage. I feel the customs, culture and faith inside of me, as if absorbed through my skin and directly into my heart. I feel the recent global… Read more »
Shout it from the mountaintops, skyscrapers, wherever. Your story needs to be told.
Thank you so much, Patricia. I am humbled by your kind words.
Congrats on your story being published. I always enjoyed reading what you have written And I miss you and everyone in the writing group. Keep writing and hopefully I will make it back to the group.
Becky, it is so nice to hear from you. I miss you and your stories as well you are the Queen of dialog.